1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a slider supporting apparatus for supporting a slider of a hard disc drive used in an information processing apparatus, such as a personal computer, and a manufacturing method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A disc drive suspension provided with a magnetic head is used to write and read data to and from a magnetic disc for use as a recording medium. A hard disc drive (HDD) 1 shown in FIG. 9, for example, comprises discs 2 for use as recording media, disc drive suspensions (hereinafter referred to simply as suspensions) 3, an arm (actuator arm) 4 on which the suspensions 3 are mounted, etc. A slider 5 that constitutes a magnetic head is mounted on the distal end of each suspension 3. Each suspension 3 is provided with a base plate 6 fixed to the arm 4, a load beam 7, a flexure 8, a hinge member 9 of a spring material, etc. If the disc 2 rotates, the slider 5 is caused to fly slightly above it by air that flows between the disc 2 and the slider 5.
Conventionally, sliders are mounted on suspensions as they are checked for read/write characteristics, flying characteristics, etc., by using a slider tester for determining the conformity of the sliders. Those sliders which are concluded to be non-defective as a result of the checks are incorporated together with the suspensions into an actual disc drive. Those ones which are judged to be defective are rejected together with the suspensions. If a slider is rejected as defective, therefore, its suspension will be needlessly rejected, resulting in an increase in cost. Possibly, defective sliders may be removed from their suspensions so that the suspensions can be reused. However, this operation is troublesome and may damage the suspensions, in some cases.
Accordingly, there have been developed slider testers that can inspect each individual slider. In a conventional slider tester described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-86976, for example, sliders are supported so as to share the same conditions with actual suspensions. A recording medium as a magnetic disc is rotated to lift the sliders, and the read/write characteristics, flying characteristics, etc., of the sliders are measured in this state. Use of this tester is advantageous in cost, since it requires disposal of only those sliders which are judged to be rejectable. This slider tester, however, is only a simulation of a suspension. Therefore, a load applied to the sliders and the stiffness of a gimbals portion can be made only limitedly similar to those for actual suspensions.
Accordingly, there have been developed slider supporting apparatuses that have a load beam, flexure, etc., constructed in the same manner as those of actual suspensions and can be removably fitted with a slider. One such slider supporting apparatus is described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-322377 and US 2006/0236527 A1, for example. As shown in FIG. 10, this conventional slider supporting apparatus comprises a gimbals portion 12 including a tongue 11, a pair of bellows portions 13 as springs, a first support portion 14, a second support portion 15, etc., which constitute a part of a flexure 10.
Each bellows portion 13 has tops and bottoms that are formed by plastic working. It can be formed by corrugating a part of the flexure 10 in its thickness direction like waves. The slider 5 (indicated by a two-dot chain line) is placed on the tongue 11 with the bellows portions 13 stretched in the direction of arrow T by means of a jig. Thereafter, the bellows portions 13 are released from a tension, whereupon the slider 5 is clamped between the support portions 14 and 15. When the disc in the slider tester is rotated at high speed with respect to the slider 5, the slider 5 flies above the disc. Various checks are performed in this state. After the checks are finished, the slider 5 is removed from between the support portions 14 and 15 by stretching the bellows portions 13 with the jig. Those sliders which are judged to be unacceptable by the checks are abandoned.
The tops and the bottoms of the bellows portions 13 shown in FIG. 10 are formed by plastic working such that the flexure 10 is bent in its thickness direction. Accordingly, the number of tops and bottoms and the height of the tops can be increased only limitedly within the restricted range of length of the gimbals portion 12. It is difficult, therefore, to lower the spring constant of the bellows portions 13, and the stroke for extension and contraction is short. Thus, the distance between the support portions 14 and 15 cannot be made long enough in setting the slider 5 on the tongue, so that there is a possibility of the slider 5 interfering with the support portions 14 and 15. Depending on the shape of the bellows portions 13, moreover, a moment may be generated such that the rear end of the slider 5 is lifted in the direction (pitch direction) indicated by arrow R. Possibly, therefore, the pitch static attitude (PSA) of the gimbals portion 12 may change. In this case, conditions for the slider 5 are inevitably different from those for actual suspensions.